cheaper sms

Last year, the NTC has sent out a memorandum to all carriers (Globe, Smart & Sun) asking everyone to lower their regular SMS rates down to Php0.80 from Php1.00. The difference of Php0.20 will be passed on to consumers effectively making regular SMS rates cheaper at Php0.80. However, if you will notice in your postpaid bill or even when you check your load balance for prepaid, the going rates for regular SMS is still Php1.00 and not Php0.80 as mandated by NTC. Nobody wants to follow the memorandum and cut back on SMS price. Remember it's 20% of SMS rates which could translate to the same 20% in lost revenues from all SMS transactions. Telcos argue that they are already offering unlimited text promos to consumer with SMS rates much lower than Php1.00. While cellular service are being slowly restored in typhoon Yolanda affected areas in the Visayas (specifically Samar, Leyte and Cebu), all the national carriers have banded together to offer free local and international SMS to subscribers in those areas. For Smart and Sun, all subscribers within the covered areas will automatically receive the free SMS allocation every day. Read more in our articles including "Why SMS rates are still not down to Php0.80?" and "Smart, Sun & Globe offer 25 free SMS per day to Visayas victims".